John 3:1-2 – Bible Study & Exploration
You Must Be Born Again
(Verse 1) Notice the connection that John is making between the last few verses of chapter 2 and how chapter 3 begins. In John 2:24-25, Jesus is pointing to those who consider themselves right with God but whose heart testifies against them. They claim to know Jesus and believe Jesus but don’t possess the necessary saving faith that will gain them salvation.
John begins chapter 3 by making an example of this in the man known as Nicodemus.
Nicodemus is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible except in John’s gospel. All that we know of him is what we can gather from this chapter.
Like Saul of Tarsus who eventually became Paul the apostle, Nicodemus was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were known to strictly adhere to the law of Moses. They also rejected Jesus. The Pharisees were one of two religious sects of Judaism. The other religious sect were the Sadducees. Both sects differed in how they viewed God’s word.
The Sadducees took a literal understanding of scripture and gave full authority to the Tanakh (Old Testament). The Pharisees on the other hand gave equal authority to scripture and also to Jewish oral traditions (Talmud).
Jewish Religion and the Religions of Today
Can you see the similarities in these two religious sects and how they align with today’s religious culture. These sects both consisted of Jews but had different beliefs. Today, on a much grander scale, we have hundreds upon hundreds of religions and cults that call themselves Christians all sharing one fatal flaw. They give equal authority to the words of men and God. Some religions afford more authority to the words of man rather than God.
The reason for this is something that all these false Christian cults and religions have in common. They all interpret scripture allegorically instead of literally. This allows each person to write in their own meaning of God’s word, thereby making man’s word. This is a false teaching. It’s exactly what Christ spoke of in His Olivet Discourse when He said, “Watch not to be deceived.”
Nicodemus was also a member of the Jewish ruling council known as the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin would be equivalent to U.S. Congress and the Supreme Court when it came to ruling over matters of Jewish law. Under Roman authority, the Jews were allowed a measure of self rule and this occurred under the Sanhedrin.
It’s likely Nicodemus was a prominent and well to-do leader within the Sanhedrin. If someone mentioned the name Nicodemus, many people of that day most probably knew who he was. He was extremely knowledgeable of the law. He may have even had most of the Tanakh memorized. This was customary for those who were destined to be Jewish teachers (Rabbi). In other words, Nicodemus was the epitome of religiosity. This made him the perfect example for what John was about to show the readers of his gospel.
Nicodemus Must Be Born Again?
(Verse 2) Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the cover of the evening. There are varying opinions of why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.
He may have been ashamed, considering his ruling status among the Jewish community. Maybe didn’t want anyone to think that someone of his intellectual status was confiding in and seeking answers from Jesus.
It’s possible that Nicodemus didn’t want other members of the Sanhedrin to catch wind that he was talking to Jesus. This would’ve likely invited judgment and possible repercussions.
As was customary in Jesus’s day, the Jewish talmid (disciples) would gather with their Rabbi in the evening for discussions and extended teachings. Perhaps John is portraying Nicodemus as the talmid (disciple) who needs the teaching of the One and only true and perfect Rabbi, Jesus.
Is Nicodemus’s Theology Flawed?
Nicodemus begins to speak with Jesus by saying, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” (John 3:2)
Right away, Nicodemus makes two mistakes. The first being, Jesus is not a teacher who comes from God. Jesus is God! Second, He is not able to perform signs because God is with Him. Jesus performs signs because He is God!
The blinding glare of mans religiosity is quickly revealed in Nicodemus’s first words. Words matter and words have consequences. Relying on the words of man shows the flaws in Nicodemus’s theology.
This is the truth for every religion that does not put the full and undivided authority on God’s word. We have too many religions that say Jesus is not enough, but you also have to do this and that to gain salvation. This is a false gospel and it keeps people trapped within one of the many false religions that exist today.
Nicodemus was a man trapped in the law of his Jewish religion that pointed him away from Christ. Christ came to give him and all of us freedom from this entrapment.